_______. (1990). Twelve steps and twelve traditions (2nd ed.). NY: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services.
More detailed description of the AA Twelve Steps) as well as testimonials from numerous AA members. Also includes practical information about joining AA.

Abra, J. (1998). Should psychology be a science: Pros and cons. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Just over a century ago, the power of the scientific method was directed at the study of human behavior. Have the results lived up to expectations? Is science the most appropriate “way of knowing” about human beings?

Ackerman, D. (1994). A natural history of love. NY: Vintage Books.
What do Plato, Cleopatra, and the Indianapolis 500 race have in common? You’ll find out the answer to that and other interesting questions in this intriguing multidisciplinary overview of love written by a poet and naturalist.

Ackerman, D. (1997). A slender thread. NY: Random House.
What would it be like to volunteer for a suicide-prevention hotline? What kinds of calls would you receive? How might you feel? What would you say to the callers? What might you learn about human nature? What kinds of people volunteer for hotlines?

Ackerman, N. W. (1966). Treating the troubled family. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
This classic illustrates family therapy through transcripts actual therapy sessions with accompanying comments by the author about what is going on from moment to moment.

Adams, J. L. (1986). The care and feeding of ideas: A guide to encouraging creativity. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Broader than Conceptual Blockbusting, this book too actively encourages creative thinking and problem solving. Includes exercises and problems for practice.

Akeret, R. U. (1995). Tales from a traveling couch. NY: W. W. Norton.
New York psychotherapist sets out to find his most memorable patients and discover what has become of their lives. Fascinating reading.

Alberti, R. E., & Emmons, M. L. (1975). Stand up, speak out, talk back: The key to self-assertive behavior. NY: Pocket Books.
Highly regarded self-help book on assertiveness. Includes scenarios that allow you to assess your own assertiveness in various situations, a detailed step-by-step program for increasing your own assertiveness, and information about increasing assertiveness in others.

Alberti, R., & Emmons, M. (1990). Your perfect right: A guide to assertive living (6th ed.). San Luis Obispo, CA: Impact.
Very highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book on self-expression that has stood the test of time (the first edition appeared 25 years ago). Distinguishes assertiveness from aggressiveness and includes self-tests to determine your own assertiveness level. Includes step-by-step instructions and practical advice for becoming more assertive yourself as well as brief recommendations for training programs to assist others in becoming more assertive.

Alkon, D. L. (1994). Memory’s voice: Deciphering the mind-brain code. NY: HarperCollins.
Highly readable discussion of the biological roots of thinking, memory and emotion with the emphasis on memory. Contains author’s memoirs which explore the factors that influenced the direction of his scientific career.

Allen, M. (1993). Angry men, passive men. NY: Fawcett Columbine.
Author’s view of the way in which masculine codes of behavior cause males to hide their emotions, thus giving rise to depression and anxiety and passivity which, in turn, can lead to outbursts of anger and violence.

Allison, A. (1999). Hear these voices: Youth at the edge of the millenium. NY: Dutton Books.
From Denver to South Africa, from New York City to Belfast, from South Dakota to the Ukraine, from San Francisco to Bangkok ? the voices of adolescents at risk ring out in this extraordinary set of interviews complemented by stunning photographs. “In their own words, these young people recount stories of homelessness, drug addiction, AIDS, alcoholism, rape, physical and emotional abuse, violence, and prejudice — obstacles that have made their passage into adolescence and adulthood heroic.” Yet with support, each of the children emerges with a renewed commitment to education and social change and therein lies the challenge: the need for adults to give more to the community of young people through local grass-roots organizations.

Allport, G. W. (1965). Letters from Jenny. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Letters from Jenny Masterson to her son’s roommate and his wife provide unique insight into her life and personality. A rich set of autobiographical materials that includes brief interpretations from existential, psychodynamic, and trait perspectives. A classic.

Alvarez, A. (1971, 1990). The savage god: A study of suicide. NY: W. W. Norton.
English poet and critic examines attitudes toward suicide as reflected in literature. Includes a discussion of Sylvia Plath’s suicide as well as autobiographical material of his own suicidal inclinations.

Amada, G. (1983, 1995). A guide to psychotherapy. NY: Ballantine Books.
Answers to common questions about psychotherapy — Who are therapists? How should I select one? Does therapy work? Must I relive my past and discuss dreams? How will I know when it is time to end therapy?

Amada, G. (1998). The mystified fortune-teller and other tales from psychotherapy. Lanham, MD: Madison Books.
An unvarnished account of successes and failures in psychotherapy as captured in case studies drawn from the author?s 40 years of practice.

Andreasen, N. C. (1984). The broken brain: The biological revolution in psychiatry. NY: Harper & Row.
One of the older books outlining the link between biology and mental illness. A plea to view mental illness as physical illness. Includes case histories.

Appleton, W. S. (1997). Prozac and the new antidepressants: What you need to know about Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox, Wellbutrin, Effexor, Serzone, and more. NY: Penguin.
“Will Prozac make me lose the essense of my personality or make me out of control?” “Can I take other drugs along with Prozac?” “Are these drugs addictive?” “What are the side effects, and how can I manage them?” The author provides a thorough, highly-readable account of the way that current antidepressants work, their pros and cons, side-effects, and much more.

Aronson, E. (1995). The social animal (7th ed.). NY: W. H. Freeman.
Beautifully written and entertaining introduction to social psychology. Covers conformity, mass communication, propaganda, persuasion, social cognition, self-justification, aggression, prejudice, liking and loving. Most recent edition of a book that won the APA National Media Award.

Backlar, P. (1994). The family face of schizophrenia: Practical counsel from America’s leading experts. NY: Putnam.
Case histories of families that have had to face schizophrenia show what it is like to live with and care for children with schizophrenia. Each case is followed by a commentary that discusses the key issues raised by that case. Lots of practical information including other books to read, and state and national sources for further assistance.

Balter, M., & Katz, R. (1987). Nobody’s child. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Marie Balter spent 25 years of her life in mental hospitals, then went on to attend Harvard University and to assume a role as spokesperson for the mentally ill. Dramatic and moving story in the tradition of I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.

Baraff, A. (1991). Men talk: How men really feel about women, sex, relationships, and themselves. NY: Plume.
Insight into male psychology and also group therapy derived from several dozen sessions of an all-male therapy group.

Barondes, S. H. (1998). Mood genes: Hunting for origins of mania and depression. NY: Freeman.
A fascinating account of the search for genes that predispose people to mania and depression and the implications for treatment and prevention.

Barron, J., & Barron, S. (1992). There’s a boy in here. NY: Avon Books.
Fascinating autobiographical account of a mother and her autistic son written alternately from the viewpoint of the mother and then the son.

Baruch, D. L. (1952). One little boy. NY: Dell.
Classic case study of an 8-year-old boy that sheds light on the inner-world of all children.

Basco, M. (1998). Never good enough: Freeing yourself from the chains of perfectionism. NY: Free Press.
Monica Basco explores the “tyranny of perfectionism” and draws upon her clinical experience to provide a practical program for overcoming unreasonably high expectations that can contribute to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, stifled creativity and broken relationships.

Bass, E., & Davis, L. (1994). The courage to heal: A guide for women survivors of child sexual abuse (3rd ed.). New York: HarperCollins.
Highly regarded step-by-step self-help book for women who are (or suspect that they are) survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Includes many powerful case studies as well as writing exercises that are designed to begin the healing process. Also includes an extensive list of hundreds of useful resources. (See also the Davis workbook below).

Baumeister, R. F. (1997). Evil: Inside human violence and cruelty. NY: Freeman.
“Why is there evil?” “What motivates those who perpetrate it?” “How do they manage to reconcile their actions with a self-image that does not embrace evil?” Perhaps most importantly, “Why have these questions persisted for centuries?”

Baur, S. (1988). Hypochondria: Woeful imaginings. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Highly readable history of the source, nature and treatment of hypochrondriasis including case studies of famous hypochondriacs throughout history (e.g., Tolstoy, Darwin and Boswell). Also includes contemporary perspectives as well as recent research.

Baur, S. (1991). The dinosaur man: Tales of madness and enchantment from the back ward. NY: HarperCollins.
A counseling psychologist describes her experiences on the wards of various mental hospitals dealing with the chronically mentally ill. Critical (though somewhat simplistic and one-sided) discussion of mental hospitals and therapies provided for the chronically ill. Case studies accompany the discussion and provide insight into what it is like to try to communicate with delusional patients.

Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. NY: Penguin.
Highly regarded but challenging book on emotional disorders. The author, one of the pioneers of cognitive therapy, describes how cognitions can affect emotions (particularly depression) and then describes procedures for changing cognitions (and thus changing undesirable emotions).

Beck, A. T., & Emery, G. (1985). Anxiety disorders and phobias: A cognitive perspective. NY: BasicBooks.
Highly regarded but challenging book on anxiety and phobias written from a cognitive perspective. It includes a summary of cognitive therapy and also includes suggestions for dealing with and overcoming problems related to anxiety.

Becker, D. (1997). Through the looking glass: Women and borderline personality disorder. Boulder, CO: Westview.
Becker explores the history of psychiatric diagnoses of women with special attention to Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and “borderline symptoms” and the extent to which socialization of women makes them prone to traits that are quite similar to “borderline symptoms.”

Benson, H., & Klipper, M. Z. (1975). The relaxation response. NY: Avon Books.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book teaches how to relax as a way of coping with stress and living a more healthful life.

Benson, H., & Proctor, W. (1984). Beyond the relaxation response: How to harness the healing power of your personal beliefs. NY: Berkley Books.
Highly regarded sequel to the above book that adds faith as a second element in coping effectively with stress.

Bepko, C., & Krestan, J. (1990). Too good for her own good: Searching for self and intimacy in important relationships. NY: HarperCollins.
Highly regarded self-help book about the roots of insecurity, feelings of inadequacy, and low self-esteem experienced by many women who lead lives of self-sacrifice often at the cost of losing themselves. Includes case histories and practical suggestions.

Berger, D., & Berger, L. (1991). We heard the angels of madness: A family guide to coping with manic depression. NY: William Morrow.
Moving story of how a family coped with the sudden onset of “manic-depression” (bipolar disorder) in a college freshman. Excellent information on bipolar disorder, its diagnosis and treatment.

Berkowitz, L. (1993). Aggression: Its causes, consequences, and control. NY: McGraw-Hill.
Highly readable and thorough overview of what science tells us about aggression, written by one of the world’s experts on the topic. Includes discussion of violence-prone personalities, domestic violence, gun control, violence in media, and control of aggression as well as various policy issues.

Black, C. (1987). It will never happen to me. NY: Ballantine.
Highly regarded self-help book for children, spouses and other relatives of alcoholics. Includes information about other resources for getting help.

Blum, D. (1997). Sex on the brain: The biological differences between men and women. NY: Viking.
Enjoyable exploration of both the biological and experiential underpinnings of sex differences by a Pulitzer Prize winning professor of journalism.

Bolles, R. N. (1999). The 1999 what color is your parachute? A practical manual for job-hunters and career changers. Berkeley, CA: Ten-Speed Press.
Very highly regarded, best-selling annual self-help book on job hunting and career changes. Valuable information and advice about finding a job including an assessment of your own strengths and preferences are presented in an engaging and entertaining way. Also describes lots of additional sources of useful information.

Bowen, W. G., & Bok, D. C. (1998). The shape of the river: Long-term consequences of considering race in college and university admissions. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Based on data from more than 60,000 students at selective institutions, Bowen and Bok conclude that affirmative action does indeed open opportunities for minority students and that it also benefits the learning experience of non-minorities. Their methodology is not immune from criticism, but their conclusions are thought-provoking, objective and balanced.

Brannigan, G. G., & Merrens, M. R. (1993). The undaunted psychologist: Adventures in research. NY: McGraw-Hill.
Fascinating stories from 15 research psychologists describing what psychological research is really like — how they got their ideas, how they pursued them, and the successes and failures along the way. Conveys the excitement and challenge as well as the frustrations of psychological research. Excellent complement to any introductory textbook.

Brazelton, T. B. (1983). Infants and mothers: Differences in development (rev. ed.). NY: Dell/Seymour Lawrence.
Highly regarded self-help book for parents of infants (newborn-12 months of age). Brazelton distinguishes between active babies, quiet babies and average babies and then follows each type through the first 12 months of life with specific advice for parents at each step of the way. See also Kagan’s book below regarding infant temperaments.

Brazelton, T. B. (1984). To listen to a child: Understanding the normal problems of growing up. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Highly regarded self-help book on dealing effectively with common problems or issues that are likely to arise during the childhood years. Lots of good examples and specific advice.

Brazelton, T. B. (1987). What every baby knows. NY: Ballantine.
Highly regarded self-help book on parenting. Includes five in-depth family case studies presented in an interview format.

Brothers, L. (1997). Friday?s footprint: How society shapes the human mind. NY: Oxford University Press.
The brain was designed to be social. Life goes on in an organized social world which is, at bottom, a network of brains. Thus, the mind and brain are inextricably linked to society. And therefore, studying the brain in isolation is bound to result in an incomplete portrait.

Budiansky, S. (1998). If a lion could talk: Animal intelligence and the evolution of consciousness. NY: Free Press.
Budiansky argues that we cannot assess the intelligence of other species using human yardsticks; if we truly understand the way that other species think, we will find it impossible to translate that into human terms. There are profound qualitative differences between species that must be appreciated if we are ever to understand the thinking of other organisms. Anthropomorphism may make us feel better, but it is poor science!

Burak, C. S., & Remington, M. G. (1994). The cradle will fall. NY: Donald I. Fine.
True story of a woman with severe post partum depression who eventually commits murder and attempts suicide, then goes on to recover from her depression. Provides insight into not only this disorder but also other depressive disorders.

Burns, D. D. (1980). Feeling good: The new mood therapy. NY: Avon Books.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book on coping with depression using the principles of cognitive therapy. The book discusses depression in general (and distinguishes it from other negative moods) as well as suicide. Includes lots of self-tests and practical advice for coping with depression.

Burns, D. D, (1985). Intimate connections: The clinically proven program for making close friends and finding a loving partner. NY: Signet.
Highly regarded self-help book on loneliness. Author examines the various reasons that some people feel lonely, and then provides lots of self-tests and other practical techniques for reducing loneliness.

Burns, D. D. (1989). The feeling good handbook. NY: Plume.
Highly regarded sequel to the 1980 book described above. It goes beyond depression to cover a much wider range of positive and negative moods and everyday problems. Provides step-by-step procedures for monitoring and changing moods.

Caplan, F. (1993). The first twelve months of life: Your baby’s growth month by month (rev. ed.). NY: Bantam.
Highly regarded self-help book for parents of infants. The author describes infant development in all its complexity.

Caplan, P. J. (1995). They say you’re crazy: How the world’s most powerful psychiatrists decide who’s normal. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Scathing account of the evolution of the DSM and the politics and personalities that are involved in determining what is and is not included.

Carter, R., & Golant, S. K. (1998). Helping someone with mental illness: A compassionate guide for family, friends, and caregivers. NY: Times Books.
This book discusses the latest treatments and research on mental illness and shows how to be an effective caregiver and advocate. Includes a 20-page resource guide to relevant books, organizations and websites.

Cartwright, R., & Lamberg, L. (1992). Crisis dreaming: Using your dreams to solve your problems. NY: HarperCollins.
Excellent book from an eminent sleep/dream researcher and an award winning journalist who describe how to use dreams to gain self-insight. Includes information on dream processes, ways to capture or retrieve dream content, and ways to change the course of dreams while asleep! Includes case studies of people in crisis an their dreams.

Chase, T. (1987). When rabbit howls. NY: E. P. Dutton.
Yet another account of childhood abuse and multiple personalities or dissociative identity disorder (92 personalities in this case, each of which contributes to the book).

Chesler, P. (1972, 1989). Women and madness. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
A classic in the field. Proposes that sex-role stereotypes are at the heart of much of what is called mental illness and that there is a double-standard of mental health. The 1989 paperback includes an evaluation of changes (or lack thereof) in the nearly 20 years since the first edition appeared.

Cialdini, R. B. (1993). Influence: The psychology of persuasion (rev. ed.). NY: William Morrow.
Best-selling book on the six basic principles of influence and persuasion. Highly readable, engaging and authoritative account of what psychology has to tell us about selling and marketing, persuasion, and influence.

Clinchy, B. McV., Norem, J. K. (1998). The gender and psychology reader. NY: NYU Press.
Outstanding interdisciplinary selection of more than three dozen readings on the nature and nurture of gender with stimuating essays and analyses written by the editors.

Cohen, D. B. (1994). Out of the blue: Depression and human nature. NY: W. W. Norton.
Explores the full range of depression from occasional “blues” to chronic severe depression including related phenomena such as mourning and suicide. Summarizes the current state of knowledge and illustrates with examples from history, literature and current events.

Cohen, D. B. (1999). Stranger in the nest: Do parents really shape their child’s personality, intelligence, or character? NY: John Wiley.
Immensely readable, balanced account of the extent to which biology and pre-natal environment affect human development and the social and moral implications of those biological influences. Reviewers have variously called this book “fascinating, sensitive, intelligent, provocative, beautifully written, a good story, engaging, interesting, erudite, witty, informative, profoundly compassionate, absorbing, challenging, brilliant, timely, indispensable, a joy to read, liberating.”

Colas, E. (1998). Just checking: Scenes from the life of an obsessive-compulsive. NY: Pocket Books.
Written with humor by a fellow Ann Arbor resident, this book describes the pain of obsessive-compulsive disorder in which literally everything is potentially something to worry about.

Coles, R. (1994). The call of service: A witness to idealism. NY: Houghton Mifflin.
In this passionate book filled with profound stories, a Pulitzer Prize winner explores the compelling nature of idealism–what inspires it and sustains it, how it is expressed, and its importance to both individuals and society.

Colgrove, M., Bloomfield, H. H., & McWilliams, P. (1991). How to survive the loss of a love (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Prelude Press.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book whose title says it all. However, “loss of a love” is defined very broadly (as it is for Viorst in her book, which see) so realize that this book addresses losses not only of treasured people and relationships, as you might guess, but also robbery, rape, moving, failure, loss of youth, menopause, lawsuits and many other kinds of losses.

Coren, S. (1993). The left-hander syndrome: The causes and consequences of left-handedness. NY: Random House.
The title says it all. But the author goes on to describe other asymmetries (footedness, eyedness) and to discuss their sources as well as their links to other things such as intelligence and creativity. Also discusses coping strategies for left-handers caught in a right-hander’s world. Clear and entertaining with lots of good anecdotes. May overstate the negative effects of being left-handed.

Covan, F. L. (1994). Crazy all the time: On the psych ward of Bellevue Hospital. NY: Fawcett Crest.
An interesting and engrossing account of the lives of both patients and staff written by the chief psychologist at Bellevue Hospital.

Covey, S. R. (1989). The seven habits of highly effective people. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Highly regarded, best-selling, humanistic self-help book on the importance of quality in people’s lives and in corporate life as well. The author describes seven specific habits or behaviors that he believes are central to personal effectiveness.

Cronkite, K. (1994). On the edge of darkness: Conversations about conquering depression. NY: Dell Publishing.
Chronic depression as described by public figures (including Mike Wallace, Dick Clark, William Styron, Joan Rivers). What to do about it, effect on families, sex differences, etc.

Csikszentmyhalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. NY: HarperCollins.
The psychology of happiness and enjoyment as obtained through “optimal experiences” or “flow states” in which deep enjoyment is experienced through focused concentration. Includes suggestions for controlling and creating flow states as well as lots of examples and case studies.

Csikszentmyhalyi, M. (1993). The evolving self: A psychology for the third millennium. NY: HarperCollins.
The sequel to Flow which extends the concept to a consideration of the evolution of self. Wide-ranging, challenging but engaging discussion that asserts the ultimate aim of human life is greater complexity which in turn requires breaking free from our biological and cultural past.

Damon, W. (1996). Greater expectations: Overcoming the culture of indulgence in our homes and schools. NY: Free Press.
Award-winning book about the moral education of children that argues persuasively that young people today are victimized by low expectations and seriously demoralized at a time in their lives when they should be full of high expectations. An argument against student-centered teaching principles that also presents guidelines for the development of moral principles in children.

Dawes, R. M. (1996). House of cards: Psychology and psychotherapy built on myth. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Robin Dawes spares no one in this powerful critique of modern psychotherapeutic practice. As he points out, we have all been swayed by the “pop psych” view of the world–believing, for example, that self-esteem is an essential precursor to being a productive human being, that events in one’s childhood affect one’s fate as an adult, and that “you have to love yourself before you can love another.” The author critically examines some of the most cherished clinical assumptions and therapeutic methods now in use. In addition, he takes issue with many of the treatment methods commonly used in therapy practices.

Dawkins, R. (1998). Unweaving the rainbow: Science, delusion, and the appetite for wonder. NY: Houghton Mifflin.
Richard Dawkins looks at the issue of whether modern science in all its forms destroys beauty, wonder, and poetry in the world around us. He concludes that mysteries don’t, in fact, lose their poetry because they are solved; knowledge doesn’t rob reality of its wonder; the solution is often more beautiful than the puzzle, uncovering deeper mystery. En route to that conclusion, and of special interest to psychologists, Dawkins attacks with a vengeance superstition, the paranormal, astrology and just about every other kind of pseudoscience.

Deacon, T. W. (1997). The symbolic species: The co-evolution of language and the brain. NY: Norton.
Why is it that only humans can think symbolically and use language? How come animals can?t talk? Why don?t other species just have simpler languages rather than none at all? Terrence Deacon tackles questions such as these by explaining how, he believes, the brain and the capacity for language co-evolved, each contributing to the development of the other.

Delaney, G. (1988). Living your dreams: Using sleep to solve problems and enrich your life (rev. ed.) NY: HarperCollins
Interesting book written by a professional “dream psychologist” who teaches techniques for influencing dream content (“dream incubation”) and dream interpretation (“dream interviewing”) as a way of using dreams for self-insight and problem solving.

Delaney, G. (1991). Breakthrough dreaming: How to tap the power of your 24-hour mind. NY: Bantam Books.
How to use dreams for self-knowledge, problem-solving, and creative thinking. Includes techniques for recalling dreams, controlling their content, and interpreting them. Also includes case studies. Consistent with current knowledge about sleep and dreaming.

Dement, W. C. (1976). Some must watch while some must sleep: Exploring the world of sleep. NY: Norton.
Highly readable, brief overview of sleep, dreaming and sleep disorders by an eminent researcher in the area.

Dement, W. C., with Vaughan, C. (1999). The promise of sleep: A pioneer in sleep medicine explains the vital connection between health, happiness and a good night’s sleep. NY: Delacorte Press.
Ours is a sleep-deprived society, and according to this sleep research pioneer that is bad news for our health, happiness and longevity. This book attempts to address that problem first by providing solid information about sleep and then describing how to create a “sleep-smart lifestyle.” A useful appendix describes sleep disorders and lists sleep disorder clinics as well as sleep disorder websites.

Dennett, D. C. (1996). Kinds of minds: Toward an understanding of consciousness. NY: Basic Books.
Thinking, consciousness, intentionality, self-awareness, language, intelligence ? how are they all connected? Is “consciousness” a uniquely human experience, and if so why? What are the minds of non-humans like? Could a robot experience consciousness?

De Rivera, J., & Sarbin, T. R. (Eds.) (1998). Believed-in imaginings: The narrative construction of reality. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Alien abductions, UFO sightings, multiple personality, false memories ? these are only some of the intriguing topics that are spotlighted in this collection of chapters that explore the differences between imagining, believing, and remembering.

Diamond, M., & Hopson, J. (1998). Magic trees of the mind. NY: Dutton.
Children’s experiences shape the neural branches or “magic trees” that in turn affect the way we think, behave, feel, and learn. Includes practical advice for parents and teachers who want to enrich the lives of children.

Dolnick, E. (1998). Madness on the couch: Blaming the victim in the heyday of psychoanalysis. NY: Simon & Schuster.
An attack on psychoanalysis psychoanalysis which, the author believes, overreached itself in the middle of the 20th Century by claiming that even the most intractable disorders (such as schizophrenia, autism, and obsessive-compulsive disorder) were the result of bad parenting and could be cured by talk therapy. The tragic consequences are described in detail by therapists and patients alike.

Donnelly, K. F. (1994). Recovering from the loss of a child. NY: Berkley Publishing Group.
Generally well regarded self-help book on coping with the death of a child. Describes the experience of losing a child through numerous interviews with family members who have gone through the experience. Also provides extensive information about support groups of various kinds throughout the country that are ready to provide assistance.

Donohue, W. A., & Kolt, R. (1992). Managing interpersonal conflict. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
A practical guide to deciding whether to confront a conflict, planning how to deal with the conflict, and negotiating differences in goals and power. Includes a flowchart for conflict management. Lots of interesting real-life examples, self-test questionnaires, and exercises.

Dowrick, S. (1991). Intimacy and solitude: Balancing closeness and independence. NY: W. W. Norton.
Author explores intimacy and isolation and takes the position that being alone and being close to others are not opposed but are rather two aspects of the same process.

Dreikurs, R., & Soltz, V. (1964). Children: The challenge. NY: Plume.
Highly regarded self-help book on disciplining children effectively. Describes dozens of discipline problems, illustrates the ways in which parents often respond inappropriately in those situations, and describes more effective ways of responding.

Duke, P., & Hochman, G. (1992). A brilliant madness: Living with manic-depressive illnesses. NY: Bantam Books.
One of several books by Patty Duke describing what it’s like to experience bipolar disorder, its causes and treatments.

Dunn, J., & Plomin, R. (1990). Separate lives: Why siblings are so different. NY: BasicBooks.
Authors explore the concept of “nonshared environments” that have a profound effect on people — environmental events that affect only certain individuals in a family and cause them to differ from others in the same family, often to a surprising degree. Includes a discussion of the practical implications of all this as well as lots of examples from real-life biographies.

Eckler, J. D. (1993). Step-by step-parenting: A guide to successful living with a blended family. Cincinnati, OH: Betterway Books.
Highly regarded self-help book on stepparenting in “blended families” (children from both marriages). Discusses both the issues that commonly arise in stepfamilies and techniques for dealing with those issues.

Edgerton, R. B. (1993). The clock of competence (rev. ed.). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Updated version of a classic study of the lives of people who had been institutionalized with mental retardation. Discusses their lives, fears, hopes and the effect of stigma on them including follow-up information on what has happened to them more than 30 years after the original study.

Eisenberg, A., Murkoff, H. E., & Hathaway, S. E. (1989). What to expect the first year. NY: Workman Publishing.
Massive book that covers almost everything anyone would ever want to know about infant development and parenting. Includes lots of practical advice in response to common questions.

Eisenberg, A., Murkoff, H. E., & Hathaway, S. E. (1994). What to expect: The toddler years. NY: Workman Publishing.
Massive book that covers almost everything anyone would ever want to know about development during the toddler years. Includes lots of practical advice in response to common questions.

Elfenbein, D. (Ed.) (1995). Living with Prozac and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): Personal accounts of life on antidepressants. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco.
What it’s like to be on Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil as told from the perspective of the patient. The pros and cons of personality changes as well as other effects.

Elkind, D. (1984). All grown up & no place to go: Teenagers in crisis. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Highly regarded book on adolescence. Elkind discusses the nature of adolescence and then focuses especially on the pressure to grow up quickly that has characterized adolescence in the late 20th century.

Elkind, D. (1988). The hurried child: Growing up too fast too soon (rev. ed.). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book that focuses on the pressure throughout our society for children to grow up too fast and too soon. Examines parental pressure for children to be “superkids,” the heavy burdens sometimes placed on children in homes where both parents work, and excessive achievement demands among other things. Includes some advice for alleviating these pressures.

Ellis, A., & Harper, R. (1975). A new guide to rational living. NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Well regarded, best-selling, self-help book that applies cognitive psychology to understanding how some people are constrained by irrational beliefs. Lots of examples and suggestions for ways to change negative irrational beliefs.

Engel, S. (1999). The stories children tell: Making sense of the narratives of childhood. NY> W. H. Freeman.
Susan Engel explores the types of stories that children tell, what purposes stories serve, how storytelling changes as children mature, and ways to encourage storytelling. An especially thought-provoking hypothesis set forth by the author, as captured in a chapter title, is that “We Are the Stories We Tell” ? in short, that children create and express their view of themselves through their stories.

Evans, J. (1966). Three men: An experiment in the biography of emotion. NY: Random House.
Classic study of the lives of three men — Johnny Rocco, William Miller, and Martin Beardson — including follow-up material from later in their lives.

Faber, A., & Mazlish, E. (1980). How to talk so kids will listen & listen so kids will talk. NY: Avon Books.
Highly regarded self-help book on improving communication between parents and children. Includes lots of exercises.

Finney, L. D. (1995). Reach for joy: How to find the right therapist and therapy for you. Freedom, CA: Crossing Press.
Guidance (including numerous checklists) for deciding whether you should see a therapist, finding and evaluating potential therapists, assessing progress in therapy, etc. In the words of one reviewer “A Consumer’s Report for the mind.”

Frankl, V. E. (1959, 1962, 1984). Man’s search for meaning. NY: Pocket Books.
Classic existential book that examines the role of meaning in human lives as well as the philosophy behind logotherapy. Written by a psychiatrist, creator of logotherapy and survivor of Auschwitz.

Freedman, M. (1999). The kindness of strangers: Adult mentors, urban youth, and the new voluntarism (Rev. Ed.). NY: Cambridge University Press.
Increasing numbers of caring, adult, volunteer mentors are reaching out to children who are growing up surrounded by poverty and community violence. Marc Freedman reviews the history of some volunteer movements, takes a closer look at mentoring in contemporary society, and asks some important questions: How much can mentoring really accomplish? What does it take to be a successful mentor? What makes the difference between an effective program and one fraught with difficulties?

Freyd, J. J. (1996). Betrayal trauma: The logic of forgetting childhood abuse. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Recovered memories vs. false memories ? a heated debate with few people straddling the fence. Jennifer Freyd (writing both as a professional and as someone with memories of childhood abuse) comes down firmly on the side of recovered memories, asserting that temporary repression is an adaptive way of coping, even surviving, in the face of childhood betrayal. An award-winning book.

Friedman, R. C., & Rogers, K. B. (Eds.) (1998). Talent in context: Historical and social perspectives on giftedness. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
A scholarly collection that explores not only the cultural, interpersonal and intrapersonal contexts within which giftedness develops but also the concept of “giftedness” itself. Includes psychological as well as anthropological, sociological and biological perspectives.

Fromm, E. (1956). The art of loving. NY: Harper & Row.
Brief but challenging discussion of the nature of love, the importance of love, and the challenge of learning to love.

Gallinsky, E., & David, J. (1988). The preschool years: Family strategies that work from experts and parents. NY: Ballantine.
Highly regarded self-help book for parents with children ages 3-5. Describes child development during these years, and includes lots of examples and lots of very specific advice about dealing with common problems.

Gardner, H. (1973, 1994). The arts and human development: A psychological study of the artistic process. NY: BasicBooks.
The first of many fascinating books by an author whom the New York Times Book Review has called “one of America’s most interesting psychologists.” Here Gardner draws from and builds on Piaget’s notions of cognitive development to provide insight into artistic development.

Gardner, H. (1982). Art, mind, and brain: A cognitive approach to creativity. NY: BasicBooks.
Broad ranging discussion of human creativity from the perspective of cognitive psychology. Emphasis on the psychology of art in particular but also examines other forms of creativity.

Gardner, H. (1983, 1993). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. NY: BasicBooks.
Seminal book arguing against the notion that intelligence is one general capacity and for the notion that intelligence is in fact a range of relatively independent competences. Discusses those various competences and draws implications in particular for education. (See companion reader Multiple Intelligences below)

Gardner, H. (1985). The mind’s new science: A history of the cognitive revolution. NY: BasicBooks.
The history of the cognitive revolution in psychology and the nature of cognitive science today. Traces the roots to early thinkers, follows the thread through the 19th century and into the 20th century. Includes discussions of artificial intelligence, linguistics, anthropology, neuroscience and shows the effect of the cognitive revolution on our understanding of perception, imagery, concept formation and reasoning among other things.

Gardner, H. (1997). Extraordinary minds. NY: Basic Books.
Mozart, Freud, Virginia Woolf and Ghandi ? what did they have in common and how did they differ? And by studying them, how do we gain insight into ourselves, into the ways in which we “might lead more productive and satisfying lives,” and into the possibility that we might “promote a greater degree of creativity or excellence in our contemporary world”?

Gay, P. (Ed.) (1989). The Freud reader. NY: W. W. Norton.
Excellent selection from the full range of Freud’s writings with a brief introduction to each piece. Good companion to the Hall primer.

Gerzon, M. (1982, 1992). A choice of heroes: The changing faces of American manhood. NY: Houghton Mifflin.
The author describes a number of traditional archetypes of manhood (“portraits of masculinity”) that are no longer useful in our rapidly changing society. Updated edition includes the author’s reflections on events in the decade since the book first appeared.

Gilligan, C. (1982, 1993). In a different voice: Psychological theory and women’s development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Best-selling and highly influential attack on the biases that inhere in most traditional theories of human development.

Gilman, S. L. (1985). Difference and pathology: Stereotypes of sexuality, race, and madness. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Scholarly but readable presentation of the thesis that human beings need to create stereotypes as a means of dealing with anxiety and their ultimate lack of control over the environment. Cites stereotypes of race, sexuality and pathology as the most powerful historically.

Ginott, H. G. (1956). Between parent and child. NY: Avon Books.
Highly regarded, best-selling self-help book for parents which emphasizes the importance of improving communication with children and genuinely understanding what they are feeling and what they are trying to say. Includes lots of specific advice and examples. Outdated in some respects but still widely recommended.

Goethals, G. W., & Klos, D. S. (1976). Experiencing youth: First-person accounts (2nd ed.). Boston: Little, Brown.
Autobiographical accounts of more than two dozen college students illustrate the process and problems of dealing with autonomy, identity and sexual intimacy. Interspersed with material from the authors shedding light on the issues being raised in the various cases.

Goldberg, P. (1983). The intuitive edge: Understanding and developing intuition. NY: Putnam.
Recognizing and cultivating intuition — both the theory of intuition and its development through practice.

Goldstein, J. H. (1986). Aggression and crimes of violence (2nd ed.). NY: Oxford University Press.
Multidisciplinary examination of research on aggression and its link to violence including implications for public policy. Includes discussion of family violence, pornography, sports violence, and war.

Goleman, D., Kaufman, P., & Ray, M. (1992). The creative spirit. NY: Dutton.
Companion volume to the acclaimed TV series of the same title. Explores creativity in all its guises around the world. Provides exercises for increasing ones own creativity and intuition.

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. NY: Bantam.
Goleman argues that there are many abilities that are far more important to achievement and excellence in the real world than traditional “IQ” (such as self-awareness, self-control, impulse control, persistence, zeal, self-motivation, empathy, and social deftness).

Goleman, D. P. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. NY: Bantam Books.
Goleman argues that emotions (more particularly, the ability to master your own emotions and to understand the emotions of others around you) are far more important to success in life than cognition. And leaders in the corporate world have provided a ringing endorsement for his views which also parallel the contemporary view of leadership espoused by such people as John Gardner and James MacGregor Burns.

Goodman, G., & Esterly, G. (1988). The talk book: The intimate science of communicating in close relationships. NY: Ballantine.
Highly regarded, comprehensive, self-help book for improving communication in close relationships. Authors describe the nature of interpersonal communication and then provide specific suggestions for improving the quality of communication along with exercises for practicing these new skills.

Gordon, T. (1970, 1975). P.E.T. Parent effectiveness training: The tested new way to raise responsible children. NY: Plume.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book that sets out to train parents to be more effective and to communicate more effectively with their children. Includes lots of examples and specific advice.

Greenberg, J. (1964). I never promised you a rose garden. NY: Penguin.
Classic autobiographical book by Hannah Green about her descent into psychosis when she was 16 years old, her three years in mental institutions, and her subsequent recovery.

Greenfield, J. (1972, 1970). A child called Noah: A family journey. San Diego: Harvest Book.
Award-winning, moving story of a family’s day-to-day life living with and loving a brain-damaged child.

Greenspan, M. (1993). A new approach to women and therapy (2nd ed.). Blue Ridge Summit, PA: TAB Books and Bradenton, FL: Human Services Institute.
Modest update of a classic book that argues male-oriented psychotherapy serves women poorly. Underscores the limitations of traditional therapeutic perspectives, details both the theory and practice of psychotherapy, and describes an alternative approach that blends more traditional concepts with a recognition that society itself is a major source of distress for women who live in patriarchal societies.

Greenspan, S.I. (1997). The growth of mind. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley.
Greenspan believes that both emotional and cognitive intelligence have their roots in early emotional experiences. “…the emotions are in fact the architects of a vast array of cognitive operations…they make possible all creative thought…emotion has an integral, and perhaps the most crucial, role in shaping the intellect…” (pp. 7, 9)

Gregory, R. L. (1990). Eye and brain: The psychology of seeing (4th ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Wonderfully readable account of how we see including lots of visual illusions.

Grollman, E. A. (1976). Talking about death: A dialogue between parent and child (rev. ed.). Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
Highly regarded self-help book intended for children who have lost a loved one. One portion of the book is intended for children; it is written in a way that even very young children can follow along. Another portion, intended for parents, discusses the kinds of questions children are likely to ask about death.

Hallowell, E. M., & Ratey, J. J. (1994). Driven to distraction: Recognizing and coping with attention deficit disorder from childhood through adulthood. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Broad ranging discussion of attention deficit disorder (ADD) including case studies to demonstrate the various forms this disorder can take in both children and adults. Discusses treatments including an appendix on “where to find help.”

Hamer, D. H., & Copeland, P. (1998). Living with our genes: Why they matter more than you think. NY: Doubleday.
Some aspects of human behavior (such as thrill-seeking, anxiety and anger) seem to have a strong genetic basis; addiction and sexual orientation are more complex, while thinking, hunger and aging are still more complex. An up-to-date of summary of the field of behavior genetics by a prominent researcher (Hamer).

Handler, L. (1998). Twitch and shout: A Touretter?s tale. NY: Dutton.
The author has suffered from Tourette?s his entire life. In this moving tale, he describes how it has affected him and how almost all Touretters isolate themselves from the mainstream of society in order to avoid embarrassment or rejection.

Harris, J. R. (1998). The nurture assumption: Why children turn out the way they do. NY: Free Press.
Harris argues that parents have relatively little effect on the way their children turn out; rather, “children socialize children.” That is, it is their peers, not their parents, who primarily determine how children turn out. In short, “parenting has been oversold.”

Harris, T. (1988). The silence of the lambs. NY: St. Martin’s Paperbacks.
Best-selling novel about Hannibal Lecter, a serial killer. Later made into an Academy Award winning film.

Hatfield, E., Cacioppo, J. T., & Rapson, R. L. (1994). Emotional contagion. NY: Cambridge University Press.
Exploration of the ways in which the emotions of one person can affect the emotions of another — how it happens, why it happens, and the implications for understanding human behavior.

Hatfield, E., & Rapson, R. L. (1993). Love, sex, and intimacy: Their psychology, biology, and history. NY: HarperCollins.
Engaging, wide-ranging discussion of traditional romantic relationships with lots of examples from literature and lots of case studies along with cartoons, self-tests and autobiographical material. Covers initial attraction, love, sex, intimacy and commitment, power, as well as the problems that often arise in romantic relationships along with suggestions for dealing with many common problems. Also covers relationships that end in breaking up, divorce or death and the process of starting over.

Hayden, T. T. (1994). Ghost girl. NY: Avon Books.
The true story of a child who refused to speak and the teacher who finally got through to her–uncovering a dark history of child abuse and possible satanic rituals.

Hayden, T. L. (1995). The tiger’s child. NY: Scribner.
Sequel to One Child describes Sheila as a young adult, her renewed relationship with Torey Hayden her former teacher, and her gradual recovery of her memories and emotions concerning her early childhood.

Hazelden Foundation. (1982). Each day a new beginning: Daily meditations for women. NY: HarperCollins.
Highly regarded self-help book of daily meditations for women.

Helmstetter, S. (1982). What to say when you talk to yourself. NY: Pocket Books.
Good self-help book that describes how to use various kinds of self-talk to deal with stress, motivate yourself, and to think more positively.

Hendrix, H. (1988). Getting the love you want: A guide for couples. NY: HarperCollins.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book for improving a problematic marriage. The author discusses the reasons that people choose their partners and describes ways to become aware of the factors that positively or negatively influence marriages. He then provides step-by-step exercises for dealing with some of the most common problems in marriages.

Herman, E. (1995). The romance of American psychology: Politics and culture in the age of experts. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
“…few social institutions or political issues in America remain untouched by the wisdom of psychological ‘experts.’ More than God, more than genes, more than our rung on the class ladder, psychology tells us who we are and can hope to become.” How has this happened and, more importantly, why? Has psychology in fact become “the most potent ideology in America”? What accounts for the “American love affair with the behavioral sciences”?

Herman, J. L. (1992). Trauma and recovery. NY: BasicBooks.
As the title suggests, a discussion of the effects of trauma and the process of recovery. Beautifully written book that examines survivors of sexual and domestic violence, combat veterans, and political prisoners among other victims of prolonged, repeated trauma and chronic abuse, explores commonalties between them, and draws implications for recovery.

Hersch, P. (1998). A tribe apart: A journey into the heart of American adolescence. NY: Fawcett Books.
Contemporary adolescence as experienced by a group of teenagers growing up in Reston, Virginia.

Hillman, J., & Ventura, M. (1992). We’ve had a hundred years of psychotherapy and the world’s getting worse. NY: HarperCollins.
Running dialogue between a psychoanalyst and a writer who set out to rethink the state and nature of psychotherapy.

Hilts, P. J. (1995). Memory’s ghost: The strange tale of Mr. M. and the nature of memory. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Fascinating case of Henry M. who underwent experimental brain surgery in 1953 and has since lived only in the present (technically, his hippocampus was removed and he lost episodic memory). He can talk and read and write, but has no memory for what has just happened — every minute is a new experience for him. Author uses this case effectively to discuss the nature of memory.

Hobson, J. A. (1988). The dreaming brain. NY: BasicBooks.
Excellent discussion of the psychological and neurobiological aspects of sleep and dreaming by a preeminent researcher.

Hobson, J. A. (1994). The chemistry of conscious states: How the brain changes its mind. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
Highly readable account of the author’s thesis that consciousness is nothing more or less than electrochemical events, that mind is brain. Discusses sleep and dreaming as well as memory, mental illness and identity among other psychological phenomena.

Hochschild, A. (1989). The second shift. NY: Avon Books.
Highly regarded self-help book on dual-career families with young children. Focus is particularly on women in such families who are often expected to do the majority of work at home as well as the outside job. Provides practical suggestions for dealing with the resulting inequities.

Hoffer, A. (1987). Common questions on schizophrenia and their answers. New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing.
The nature, causes, effects, and treatment of schizophrenia.

Hoffman, D. D. (1998). Visual intelligence: How we create what we see. NY: W. W. Norton.
Perception is a highly creative process; our experience of the world bears virtually no resemblance to the information on the retina, but is rather an attempt by the brain to reconstruct “what must be out there” from the coded information it receives. In an intriguing, captivating new book, Donald Hoffman describes and illustrates this process and explores how it is used to advantage in the arts and technology. Perception is, indeed, more than it appears to be!

Horacek, H. J., Jr. (1998). Brainstorms: Understanding and treating the emotional storms of attention defecit hyperactivity disorder from childhood through adulthood. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
Though Horacek is particularly concerned with the biological underpinnings of “firecracker temperaments,” the book more broadly concerns how to understand them them, cope with them, and ultimately, use them productively as in the cases of Mozart, Hemingway, and Edison.

Hunt, M. (1993). The story of psychology. NY: Anchor Books.
Highly readable story of attempts throughout history to understand the mind and ultimately the causes of behavior. A wonderful overview of the history of psychology in the broadest sense.

Israeloff, R. (1990). In confidence: Four years of therapy. NY: Penguin Books.
Insight into psychotherapy as told by a 30-year-old mother who senses that something is “amiss” in her life. Widely praised, highly readable book that provides great insight into not only the author as a human being but also the process of psychotherapy as seen through the eyes of a client.

Jackendorf, R. (1994). Patterns in the mind: Language and human behavior. NY: BasicBooks.
The structure of language and how children learn language. Modern linguistics in light of the cognitive revolution.

James, M., & Jongeward, D. (1971). Born to win: Transactional analysis with Gestalt experiments. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Hugely popular book that applies Gestalt psychology and transactional analysis to everyday life as a way of shedding light on the roles we play with respect to others. Includes self-discovery exercises.

Jamison, K.R. (1995). An unquiet mind. NY: Knopf.
A beautifully written account of manic depression written by a professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins who is not only a victim of the disorder but a world-renowned expert on it. A central theme is her reluctance to take the drug lithium even though she realizes that it will be beneficial to her because, like many creative people, she is afraid to lose the energy that comes with the manic phase of the disorder.

Jandt, F. E. (1985). Win-win negotiating: Turning conflict into agreement. NY: Wiley.
Highly regarded self-help book which is aptly described by its title along with the fact that the focus is on the workplace. Includes a discussion of conflict, a self-test for assessing your own preferred way of dealing with conflict, an examination of sources of conflict, and advice on how to resolve conflicts so that nobody comes out a loser and relationships can continue.

Jeffers, S. (1987). Feel the fear and do it anyway. NY: Fawcett Columbine.
Highly regarded self-help book on coping with fearfulness and passivity written from a cognitive psychology perspective. Offers specific practical advice and also exercises to overcome fearfulness.

Jencks, C., & Phillips, M. (1998). The black-white test score gap. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution.
Jencks and Phillips have collected a set of essays that examine the evidence for and against affirmative action and that conclude that experience in early childhood ? nature, not nurture — is the primary determinant of test scores (and thus admission to college and the world of high-paying jobs).

John-Steiner, V. (1985). Notebooks of the mind: Explorations of thinking. NY: HarperCollins.
Fascinating insight into the minds of dozens of highly creative people as obtained through interviews and conversations.

Johnson, A. B. (1990). Out of Bedlam: The truth about deinstitutionalization. NY: BasicBooks.
A clinical social worker in New York City describes how deinstitutionalization arose, its initial promise, and its often devastating consequences in the absence of adequate community-based care alternatives. An excellent, comprehensive, informative, thoughtful, though highly critical, overview by an advocate of deinstitutionalization.

Jourdan, R. (1997). Music, the brain, and ecstasy: How music captures our imagination. NY: William Morrow.
“What is music?” “How and why does it affect us?” “What is the nature of musical genius?” A readable, accessible, intriguing, richly informative, exuberant introduction to how we perceive and experience music, why it captivates us, and why it affects us so profoundly.

Kagan, J. (1994). Galen’s prophecy: Temperament in human nature. NY: BasicBooks.
Highly readable account by an eminent psychologist about evidence for inborn personality temperaments. Specifically the evidence that some children are born inhibited and others are born uninhibited and the implications of this for understanding shyness and other aspects of adult personality.

Kaufman, B. N. (1994). Son-rise: The miracle continues. Tiburon, CA: H. J. Kramer.
A compendium of cases starting with a recap of their own son’s recovery from autism along with accounts of five other cases treated at The Option Instate in which the children responded similarly.

Kaysen, S. (1993). Girl, Interrupted. NY: Vintage.
The author was committed to a mental hospital at age 18 for two years. Her memoir describes the patients and staff members but in the process she raises disturbing questions about hospitalization, diagnosis, women and mental illness. Witty and funny yet dark and disturbing, in the tradition of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.

Kelly, K., & Ramundo, P. (1993). You mean I’m not lazy, stupid or crazy? A self-help book for adults with attention deficit disorder. NY: Scribner.
Entertaining and readable discussion of adult attention deficit disorder including diagnosis, causes, and management of the disorder. Includes case studies and autobiographical material.

Keyes, D. (1981). The minds of Billy Milligan. NY: Bantam Books.
Fascinating account of Billy Milligan’s 24 personalities. Milligan was the first person acquitted of a crime due to multiple personalities.

Kirwin, B. R. (1997). The mad, the bad, and the innocent: The criminal mind on trial ? Tales of a forensic psychologist. NY: Little Brown.
Barbara Kirwin explores the relationship between criminal punishment and personal responsibility, between the circumstances that call for retribution and those that call for compassion. The result is a sharp criticism of the current status of the insanity defense under which many psychotics end up in prison because they are ”too crazy to be found legally insane.”

Kohn, A. (1986, 1992). No contest: The case against competition (rev. ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Author describes the dark side of competition and the notion that “competitiveness” and “winning” are the source of happiness. Revised edition includes update on reactions to the book since its initial publication. Winner of the APA’s Award for Excellence in the Media.

Kohn, A. (1990). The brighter side of human nature: Altruism and empathy in everyday life. NY: BasicBooks.
Author argues that it is natural for humans to be caring, generous, empathetic, altruistic and kind rather than selfish, self-interested and aggressive.

Konner, M. (1990). Why the reckless survive…and other secrets of human nature. NY: Penguin Books.
Physician/anthropologist offers a number of intriguing essays on the biological aspects of human nature, in the process touching on creativity and mental illness, twin studies, the biology of mood, sexuality and gender among other topics.

Kotre, J. (1995). White gloves: How we create ourselves through memory. NY: Free Press.
Psychologist at UM-Dearborn writes engagingly about how autobiographical memory changes over time, in the process causing us to recreate our personal histories and even our sense of self-identity. He touches on the ways in which families create shared memories of past events, infantile amnesia, repression of memories, photographic memories and memory for apparently trivial events in our lives.

Kramer, P. D. (1993). Listening to Prozac. NY: Penguin Books.
Controversial book by a psychiatrist who discusses the use of the drug Prozac as a treatment for depression but which also causes cosmetic changes in personality and character so that people quite literally become “someone else.” Raises questions about the nature of personality and character and identity as well as the unsettling implications of being able to tailor your personality with a pill.

Kushner, H. S. (1981). When bad things happen to good people. NY: Avon Books.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book on death and dying, addressing in particular the vexing question of how God can allow bad things to happen to good people.

Kushner, H. S. (1986). When all you ever wanted isn’t enough: The search for a life that matters. NY: Pocket Books.
Well regarded self-help book that stresses the importance of meaning, integrity and spirituality in human lives.

Kutash, I. L., & Wolf, A. (Eds.) (1986, 1993). Psychotherapist’s casebook: Theory and technique in the practice of modern therapies. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
Readable and engaging account of almost all current therapies including, in most cases, excerpts from representative therapy sessions.

LaBerge, S. (1985). Lucid dreaming: The power of being awake & aware in your dreams. NY: Ballantine.
Author describes “lucid dreams” and provides techniques for becoming aware of your dreams while they are occuring and then controlling and manipulating their content.

Laing, R. D. (1969). The divided self: An existential study in sanity and madness. NY: Penguin Books.
Classic collection of case studies of people with schizophrenia and Laing’s existential analysis of their personal alienation and estrangement from themselves and society.

Lamb, W. (1998). I know this much is true. NY: Regan Books.
Dominick Birdsey?s life has been one disaster after another ? he puts Job to shame! Filled with anger, despair and self-pity, Dominick attempts to come to terms with himself and, thereby, to change his world and his life. In the words of reviewers, this novel was written by a man “who tells truths through fiction,” this book “informs our hearts as well as our minds of the complexities involved in the ‘simple’ act of living a human life.”

Landman, J. (1993). Regret: The persistence of the possible. NY: Oxford University Press.
Broad-ranging, multidisciplinary discussion by UM psychologist of what people most regret about their lives, how regret differs from other emotions, etc.. Includes thought-provoking excerpts from several literary works that shed light on regret.

Lane, H. (1976). The wild boy of Aveyron. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Scholarly account of a boy whose early life was spent in the wild forests of Aveyron in southern France in the late 1700s. He was eventually captured, institutionalized, then sent to Paris for study and display. Fascinating account which also looks at the question of why he stirred such intense interest and the implications of what was learned for the distinction between humans and other animals. See Shattuck below for another, more recent account.

Langer, E. J. (1989) Mindfulness. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Author argues that mindsets and perceived limitations cause us to lose control over our lives and to do mindless things. Instead, mindfulness is proposed as an avenue to tapping into human reserves and human potential.

Langer, E. J. (1997). The power of mindful learning. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley.
Forgetting is bad, delayed gratification is good, learning basic skills until they become second nature is worthwhile?these, and several other basic myths of learning, are examined and discarded by Langer.

Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Emotion and adaptation. NY: Oxford University Press.
Comprehensive, readable discussion of the cognitive appraisal model of emotion and motivation by one of its most eminent researchers. Like many Oxford U Press books, this book is a bit more challenging than many other books on this list but well worth the effort.

Leach, P. (1983). Babyhood (2nd ed.). NY: Knopf.
Highly regarded self-help book for parents with children in the first 24 months of life. The author describes child development in five stages during the first two years and provides practical advice for dealing with many of the issues that commonly arise during these developmental stages.

Leach, P. (1989). Your baby and child: From birth to age five (2nd ed.). NY: Knopf.
Generally well-regarded self-help book about development during infancy and early childhood. Includes advice for coping with common problems. Author’s views on daycare are overly negative.

LeDoux, J. (1998). The emotional brain: The mysterious underpinnings of emotional life. NY: Simon & Schuster.
This new paperback edition of LeDoux’s excellent book on emotions (particularly fear) is a useful starting point for understanding the issues raised by Daniel Goleman (Emotional Intelligence) and for reviewing some of the evidence that underlies Goleman’s position. LeDoux points out how cognitive theories of emotion fall short of the mark, and then goes on to describe the biology of emotions and the important link between emotions and memory with particular attention to the emotion of fear.

Lerner, H. G. (1985). The dance of anger: A woman’s guide to changing the patterns of intimate relationships. NY: Harper & Row.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book that is just what the title says it is. The author describes both ineffective and effective ways for women to deal with anger in themselves and in others.

Lerner, H. G. (1986). Women in therapy. NY: Harper & Row.
Discussion of the development of women and psychotherapy for women which combines psychoanalytic and family systems perspectives.

Lerner, H. G. (1989). The dance of intimacy: A woman’s guide to courageous acts of change in key relationships. NY: Harper & Row.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book whose title says it all. The focus is on achieving a healthy balance between “I” and “We” in close relationships. Lots of examples.

LeShan, E. (1976). Learning to say good-by: When a child’s parent dies. NY: Avon Books.
Highly regarded self-help book intended for children who have lost a parent. Written in the form of a letter from the author to the reader, the book is a highly personal, supportive and caring discussion of what happens with a parent dies, how people feel and act, and how to cope with the feelings of grief and the turmoil and confusion.

Levenkron, S. (1991). Obsessive-compulsive disorders: Treating and understanding crippling habits. NY: Warner Books.
Highly regarded self-help book on obsessive-compulsive disorders that includes many case studies which not only illustrate the disorders but also demonstrate effective ways of coping with them. Includes suggestions for dealing with such disorders.

Levinson, D. J. (1978). The seasons of a man’s life. NY: Ballantine.
Highly regarded best-seller that describes the author’s view of developmental stages (and their corresponding tasks) in adult male development (does “mid-life crisis” sound familiar?). Includes cases from Levinson’s research program as well as from biographies and literature.

Levinson, D. J., & Levinson, J. D. (1997). The seasons of a woman?s life. NY: Ballantine.
The sequel to Levinson?s earlier book which describes adult female personality development. Scholarly, thought-provoking, and readable with many case studies and excerpts from women’s lives.

Lewis, D. O. (1998). Guilty by reason of insanity: A psychiatrist explores the minds of killers. NY: Ballantine.
A compassionate, insightful, and fascinating study of the minds of killers that concludes that almost all killers suffer from brain damage, psychotic symptoms, and/or a severely disturbed childhood.

Lidz, T. (1983). The person (rev. ed.). NY: BasicBooks.
Very readable presentation of life across the life-span which combines psychoanalytic and psychobiological perspectives. Intended initially as a guide for medical students in their contacts with patients, this book might properly be called a “user’s manual” for human beings!

Lifton, B. J. (1979, 1983, 1988). Lost and found: The adoption experience. NY: Harper & Row.
Adoption counselor’s classic account of the adopted and the controversy about what has come to be called “the adoption syndrome.”

Lifton, B. J. (1994). Journey of the adopted self: A quest for wholeness. NY: BasicBooks.
The inner world of those adopted who struggle with their status and who attempt to cope effectively by searching for their biological roots. Written by a strong advocate for open adoptions. Includes case studies as well as lists of support groups.

Loftus, E. (1980). Memory: Surprising new insights into how we remember and why we forget. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Classic, very readable overview of human memory though it is now somewhat dated.

Loftus, E., & Ketcham, K. (1991). Witness for the defense: The accused, the eyewitness, and the expert who puts memory on trial. NY: St. Martin’s Press.
Lively, personal, and informative examination of eight cases that centered on disputed eyewitness identifications in the light of what psychology has to tell us about human memory. Also explores the thorny and often personal issues that are raised by psychologists serving as expert witnesses in such cases.

Loftus, E., & Ketcham, K. (1994). The myth of repressed memory: False memories and allegations of sexual abuse. NY: St. Martin’s Press.
Renowned expert on memory attacks the belief in “recovered memories” (particularly repressed memories of alleged sexual abuse). Argues that there is no scientific evidence in support of such memories and that they are in most cases fabrications.

Lowen, A. (1985). Narcissism: Denial of the true self. NY: Macmillan.
A psychoanalyst argues that the key feature of narcissism is an inability to feel which in turn gives rise to narcissism’s more obvious symptoms.

Maas, J. B. (1998). Power sleep: How to prepare your mind for peak performance. NY: Random House.
A program for improving sleep from a renowned researcher in the field.

Mallinger, A. E., & DeWyze, J. (1993). Too perfect: When being in control gets out of control. NY: Random House.
The downside of perfectionism: the negative effects of behavior patterns that characterize obsessive perfectionists. Compulsive worriers, neat freaks and workaholics among others are all discussed along with suggestions for reducing the obsessive need for control and perfection. Lots of case studies.

Marshall, J. R. (1994). Social phobia: From shyness to social anxiety. NY: BasicBooks.
Through case histories and self-tests, the author (a psychiatrist who specializes in anxiety disorders) provides interesting insight into the sources, nature and treatment of social phobias.

Maccoby, E. E. (1998). The two sexes: Growing up apart, coming together (family and public policy). Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Eleanor Maccoby’s research has demonstrated that sex differences in the behavior of girls and boys is much greater when they are with groups of friends than when they are alone. Moreover, in childhood boys tend to hang around with boys, and girls with girls. Maccoby goes on to point out that these childhood experiences in predominantly same-sex groups have a significant effect on adult relationships between men and women. And this, in turn, leads to some interesting conclusions about the kinds of changes that can and should be made in sexual relationships, work relationships, and parenting.

Martin, R. (1994). Out of silence: An autistic boy’s journey into language and communication. NY: Penguin Books.
Fascinating account of the author’s nephew Ian and his family coping with autism.

Maurer, D., & Maurer, C. (1988). The world of the newborn. NY: Basic Books.
Fascinating, award-winning account of the world as perceived by a newborn.

McCrum, R. (1998). My year off. NY: W. W. Norton.
Robert McCrum’s account of his long, arduous recovery from a stroke ? an extraordinary emotional journey made by the English editor for a large publishing house who must recover his faculties and get on with life. No less inspiring is the story of his wife’s crucial role in his recovery; the inclusion of excerpts from her diaries provides a rare insight into “the terrors and hopes, weaknesses and strengths of two people who chose to make a life together” and whose lives were forever changed by the stroke that occurred only few weeks after they were married.

McNamara, B. (1994). Breakdown. NY: Pocket Books.
Somewhat lurid but true story of a Harvard Medical School student who committed suicide less than a year after he terminated therapy for depression. After his death, it became apparent that he had been involved in a bizarre form of experimental therapy. A disturbing, widely-publicized case that raises difficult questions about interdependency in therapy and about professional ethics.

Milgram, S. (1974). Obedience to authority: An experimental view. NY: Harper Torchbooks.
Highly readable account of Milgram’s classic series of experiments including implications of those studies for understanding human behavior. An appendix includes a consideration of various ethical issues raised by the experiments.

Miller, D. (1994). Women who hurt themselves: A book of hope and understanding. NY: BasicBooks.
Psychologist explores “women at war with themselves” including case of self-mutilation, cosmetic surgery, and eating disorders among other things.

Moorman, M. (1992). My sister’s keeper: Learning to cope with a sibling’s mental illness. NY: Penguin Books.
A moving story of two sisters, one with schizophrenia, the other trying to care for her and at the same time cope with her own fears for herself and her children and her family.

Moskovitz, R. A. (1996). Lost in the mirror: An inside look at borderline personality disorder. Dallas, TX: Taylor.
“Lost in the Mirror is a journey in the shoes of the person with Borderline Personality Disorder.” Extensive resource section makes this a valuable tool for those with BPD and anyone close to them.

Muensterberger, W. (1994). Collecting: An unruly passion. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
A psychoanalyst discusses people (some famous, some not-so-famous) who are obsessed with collecting things. Rather different from most of the other books on this list, and heady stuff (that’s an inside joke for those who have read the book).

Mueser, K. T., & Gingerich, S. (1994). Coping with schizophrenia: A guide for families. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
The title says it all — step-by-step help, including several dozen practical worksheets to fill out as you go along.

Myers, D. G. (1992). The pursuit of happiness: Discovering the pathway to fulfillment, well-being, and enduring personal joy. NY: Avon Books.
Research-based discussion of what is known about human happiness. Includes practical suggestions for increasing happiness.

Napier, A. Y., & Whitaker, C. A. (1978). The family crucible. NY: Harper & Row.
Highly regarded book about families and “family systems therapy.” Takes the position that most family problems arise from relationships within the family rather than from individual family members. Includes an in-depth case study of therapy with one family.

Neisser, U. (Ed.) (1998). The rising curve: Long-term gains in IQ and related measures. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
IQ scores have been going up and up for an awfully long time with no apparent end in sight. Moreover, the gap between black and white students has been closing as well. This book contains a series of chapters by experts in the fields of psychometrics, sociology, cognitive psychology, social psychology and developmental psychology who explore the environmental and social factors that affect IQ and the causes and implications of the upward trend in IQ scores worldwide.

Nelsen, J. (1981, 1987). Positive discipline. NY: Ballantine.
Highly regarded self-help book on discipline for parents and teachers. “Positive discipline” is a technique that is intended to increase children’s self-discipline, responsibility and self-respect while minimizing resentment, discouragement and parental guilt.

Neugeboren, J. (1997). Imagining Robert: My brother, madness, and survival ? A memoir. NY: William Morrow.
A moving story of love, compassion, hope, disappointment, pain, confusion, and guilt written by a man whose brother has suffered from severe mental illness for three decades.

Nørretranders, T. (1998). The user illusion: Cutting consciousness down to size. NY: Viking.
Awareness reflects only a tiny percentage of the sensory input received by our brains and it usually lags behind our behavior. But the discarded information or “exformation” is even more important than “information” to our understanding of the world and ourselves. A challenging, but thought-provoking, book.

Nye, R. D. (1992). Three psychologies: Perspectives from Freud, Skinner, and Rogers (4th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Brief overview of the lives and basic concepts of these three influential theorists. Includes comparisons, contrasts and evaluations of the theories.

Nye, R. D. (1992). The legacy of B. F. Skinner: Concepts and perspectives, controversies and misunderstandings. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Excellent discussion of Skinner’s life, the basic concepts of his theory, sources of controversy, common misunderstandings, his views on Freud and his disagreements with Rogers, and the relevance of his theory to today’s world.

Ornish, D. (1998). Love and survival: The scientific basis for the healing power of intimacy. NY: HarperCollins.
Cornish argues that love, intimacy, relationships, affection and commitment are not only important to living a full life but also essential to physical well-being, in fact to our very survival as individuals and as a species.

Ornstein, R. (1991). The evolution of consciousness: The origins of the way we think. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Entertaining and challenging discussion of the evolution of the mind, including fundamental questions about “mind” and how it works.

Ornstein, R. (1997). The right mind: Making sense of the hemispheres. NY: Harcourt Brace.
A fascinating, clear, readable account of hemispheric lateralization (right brain, left brain).

Osborn, I. (1998). Tormenting thoughts and secret rituals: The causes and treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. NY: Pantheon Books.
A readable survey of what is known about obsessive-compulsive disorder, its source in psychobiology and the most promising treatment in a combination of behavior and drug therapy.

Paulos, J. (1996). A mathematician reads the newspaper. NY: Anchor Books.
The author travels through the pages of the daily newspaper revealing the hidden mathematical and psychological angles of articles we read everyday. From the Senate, SATs, and sex to crime, celebrities, and cults, Paulos takes stories that many not seem to involve mathematics and demonstrates how a lack of mathematical knowledge can handicap readers.

Peck, M. S. (1978). The road less traveled: A new psychology of love, traditional values and spiritual growth. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Well regarded, all-time best-selling self-help book that discusses the centrality of spirituality in many people’s lives as well as the importance of confronting adversity, integrity and self-discipline.

Peters, J. K. (1997). When mothers work: Loving our children without sacrificing our selves. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley.
Mothers need not be primary caregiver, martyr, and stressed-out parent while fathers escape relatively unscathed. Men, women and children benefit from parents having a life and an identity outside the home and sharing equally the responsibilities and rewards of child-rearing.

Phelps, S., & Austin, N. (1987). The assertive woman: A new look (2nd ed.). San Luis Obispo, CA: Impact.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book that addresses the special problem of women being assertive in a society that values their nonassertiveness. Includes self-tests, illustrations of assertive and nonassertive behavior, and lots of advice for becoming more assertive.

Pinker, S. (1997). How the mind works. NY: Norton.
Pinker sets about explaining “what the mind is, where it came from, and how it lets us see, think, feel, interact, and pursue higher callings like art, religion, and philosophy. On the way I will try to throw light on distinctively human quirks. Why do memories fade? How does makeup change the look of a face? Where do ethnic stereotypes come from, and when are they irrational? Why do people lose their tempers? What makes children bratty? Why do fools fall in love? What makes us laugh? And why do people believe in ghosts and spirits?” Nominee for National Book Award (1997).

Pipher, M. (1996). Reviving Ophelia: Saving the selves of adolescent girls. NY: Ballantine.
A deeply troubling account of the extent to which depression, eating disorders, self-mutilation, addictions, and suicide attempts among young women may be the consequences of being brought up in a “girl-poisoning culture” that differs greatly from the culture in which previous generations were raised.

Ponton, L. E. (1997). The romance of risk: Why teenagers do the things they do. NY: Basic Books.
According to Ponton, for the great majority of adolescents risk-taking is positive and healthy, but for a significant minority it is unhealthy and sometimes disastrous. Ponton explores the sources of adolescent risk-taking in the family and steps that parents can take to direct risk-taking into more healthy channels.

Porter, R. (Ed.) (1991). The Faber book of madness. Boston: Faber and Faber.
Despite the rather odd title, this is a fascinating anthology of personal and autobiographical writings on mental illness from early times up to the present. Good bedtime reading for budding psychiatrists and clinical psychologists!

Pratkanis, A. R., & Aronson, E. (1992). Age of propaganda: The everyday use and abuse of persuasion. NY: Freeman.
Engaging and highly regarded book that sets out to “understand how [persuasion] influences our behavior, how we can protect ourselves from unwanted propaganda, and how we can ultimately come to use persuasion wisely.” Lots of real-life examples.

Raine, N. V. (1998). After silence: Rape and my journey back. NY: Crown Publishing.
The author, a poet and essayist, responds to her rapist with this moving and eloquent book about her own recovery, about post-traumatic stress, about the way rape is construed in our culture, about the devastating effects of silence and shame and the lack of understanding of others.

Ramachandran, V. S., & Blakeslee, S. (1998). Phantoms in the brain: Probing the mysteries of the human mind. NY: William Morrow & Co.
The authors explore what people with neurological disorders can teach us about who we are, how we construct our body image, why we laugh or become depressed, how we make decisions, deceive ourselves and dream, perhaps even why we’re so clever at philosophy, music and art. Witty, funny, and enlightening ? a winning combination.

Rando, T. A. (1988). How to go on living when someone you love dies. NY: Bantam.
Highly regarded self-help book whose title aptly describes its content. Author discusses grief, sex differences in grieving, and the causes of grief , and then turns her attention to the process of grieving. In the course of the book she provides numerous practical suggestions for coping with the death of a loved one, each of which is likely to appeal to some people more than others. She also provides extensive information about additional sources of support during the bereavement process.

Restak, R. M. (1979). The brain: The last frontier. NY: Warner Books.
A neurologist writes engagingly about the biology of emotions, thoughts, language, and personality among other things. One of the earliest books by this best-selling author.

Restak, R. M. (1991). The brain has a mind of its own. NY: Crown Trade Paperbacks.
Fascinating series of essays on the brain and mind, drugs, memory, consciousness, dreams and emotions.

Ridley, M. (1997). The origins of virtue: Human instincts and the evolution of cooperation. NY: Viking Penguin.
The paradox of why humans cooperate lies at the center of this witty, entertaining and erudite book.

Rochlin, G. I. (1997). Trapped in the net: The unanticipated consequences of computerization. NJ: Princeton University Press.
“Dumbing down” of workers, decentralizing control in organizations, increasing the chances of catastrophic errors, and dramatically changing the military and the world of finance?.Rochlin?s picture of a “wired society” overly dependent on technology isn?t always pretty.

Rodin, J. (1992). Body traps: Breaking the binds that keep you from feeling good about your body. NY: William Morrow.
Rodin examines the American preoccupation/obsession with appearance, good looks and fitness, and demonstrates the psychological effects of these obsessions. Includes self-tests and specific practical advice.

Rogers, A. G. (1995). A shining affliction: A story of harm and healing in psychotherapy. New York: Viking.
A powerful and engaging account of a therapist treating a young child who has been abandoned. In the course of treatment, the therapist (Annie Rogers) herself recovers memories of childhood abuse which cause her to be hospitalized. Dramatically illustrates the two-sided nature of psychotherapy — therapists’ lives influence their therapy and they are in turn influenced by the course of therapy.

Rose, S. P. (1999). From brains to consciousness: Essays on the new sciences of the mind. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Neuroscience is shedding light on an extraordinary range of behavioral phenomena and at the same time raising serious ethical, legal, social and medical questions. “Is memory a molecular process? Is schizophrenia a genetic disorder? What does the future hold for psychopharmacology? Can consciousness be computed and is artificial intelligence a real prospect?” Some of the world’s leading researchers address these and other related questions in this fascinating account of the world that exists at the interface between biopsychology and cognition.

Ross, J., (1994). Triumph over fear. NY: Bantam Books.
Prominent social worker discusses fear of flying, fear of public speaking, fear of driving or even of simply being outdoors. Case studies are used to illustrate all of these anxiety disorders and more — their diagnosis and treatment as well as self-help steps that can be taken to minimize their effect on people’s lives.

Rothenberg, A. (1990). Creativity and madness: New findings and old stereotypes. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Interesting, thorough and up-to-date examination of the relationship between creativity and mental illness including consideration of Sylvia Plath, August Strindberg, Emily Dickinson, Robert Penn Warren, John Cheever, Eugene O’Neill and William Faulkner among others.

Rowe, J. W., & Kahn, R. L. (1998). Successful aging. NY: Pantheon Books.
Successful aging is a genetic gift but rather a consequence of lifestyle (diet, exercise, mental challenges, self-efficacy and involvement with other people). Includes recommendations for changes in social awareness and governmental measures for overcoming barriers to change.

Rubin, L. B. (1983). Intimate strangers: Men and women together. NY: Harper & Row.
Highly regarded self-help book on lack of intimacy in heterosexual relationships. Author addresses the fact that many men and women find it difficult to establish intimacy or closeness in their relationships. She attributes this difficulty to males’ failure to develop a capacity for nurturance and intimacy and closeness due to the absence of appropriate role models in older males in this society. Numerous case studies.

Rubin, L. B. (1985). Just friends: The role of friendship in our lives. NY: Harper & Row.
Highly regarded book on the importance of various kinds of friendship in human lives.

Sacks, O. (1970, 1985, 1992). Migraine (rev. ed.). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Fascinating overview of migraine headaches — their nature, sources, and treatment. Includes case studies as well as art drawn by people with migraine headaches.

Sacks, O. (1985). The man who mistook his wife for a hat and other clinical tales. NY: Harper & Row.
Best-selling classic book of case studies of people coping with various neurological disorders.

Sacks, O. (1989). Seeing voices: A journey into the world of the deaf. NY: HarperCollins.
Moving account of the world of the deaf.

Sacks, O. (1995). An anthropologist on Mars: Seven paradoxical tales. NY: Knopf.
Sacks’ sixth book on the theme of adaptation in the face of challenge or what he calls “the paradox of disease” in which neurological disorders call forth latent adaptive powers in human beings. In this book, Sacks describes the lives of seven people who appear paradoxical — for example, Jonathan I. (a color blind painter), Carl Bennett (a surgeon wracked by uncontrollable tics except when he is operating), and Stephen Wiltshire (an autistic artist).

Saffian, S. (1998). ITHAKA: A daughter’s memoir of being found. NY: Basic Books.
Discovered by her birth mother, Sarah Saffian took three years to decide whether she wanted a reunion. This account of her soul-searching has been described as “?painful, always compassionate?.ultimately a triumphant story,” “compelling, honest, and forthright, it is a beautifully written and spellbinding book,” and “moving, deeply thoughtful.”

Sarason, S. (1998). Charter schools: Another flawed educational reform? NY: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.
Charter schools are a grassroots phenomenon of the 1990s. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, parents, teachers, and citizens are taking matters into their own hands and obtaining charters to create their own schools. These schools operate independent of state regulation, cutting out the bureaucratic entanglements that have become a routine part of running a public school. Psychologist Seymour Sarason takes a critical look at charter schools and concludes that although the concept has potential, only a small number of charter schools will succeed. However, he also offers a number of recommendations for helping to ensure the success of future charter schools.

Savage-Rumbaugh, E. S., Taylor, T. J., & Shanker, S. G. (1998). Apes, language, and the human mind. NY: Oxford University Press.
Kanzi is a teen-age bonobo (a pygmy chimpanzee) who can communicate at the level of a 2-3 year old child by using a “keyboard” of symbols. The first portion of this book recaps the story of his upbringing while the rest of the book evaluates the question of whether his accomplishments do indeed constitute the use of language and the implications of this research program for understanding thinking and cognition.

Scarf, M. (1987). Intimate partners: Patterns in love and marriage. NY: Ballantine.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book for understanding and improving troubled marriages. Lots of interviews and five in-depth case studies of marriages at different stages of development.

Schacter, D. (1996). Searching for memory: The brain, the mind, and the past. NY: Basic Books.
Marvelous, clear, readable and engaging exploration of the mysteries of human memory including false memories, Alzheimer’s disease, recovered memories, amnesias, and myths and facts.

Schaller, S. (1991). A man without words. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Moving account of a 27-year-old man who is otherwise normal except that he has no idea of language much less the ability to speak or write. Sheds light on the role of language in thinking.

Schiller, L. (1994). The quiet room: A journey out of the torment of madness. NY: Warner Books.
Gripping story of descent into schizophrenia starting at the age of 18 and then eventual recovery. In the tradition of I Never Promised You A Rose Garden.

Seager, S. B. (1991). Psychward. NY: Berkley Books.
A psychiatrist describes a year as an intern on a psychiatric ward.

Seligman, M. E. P. (1990). Learned optimism. NY: Pocket Books.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book on optimism, pessimism, and positive thinking based on research and theory in cognitive psychology. The author’s position is that optimism and pessimism are learned explanatory styles, and that therefore these styles can be changed: people can learn not to be bound by negative thinking. Includes self-tests and lots of practical advice.

Shattuck, R. (1994). The forbidden experiment: The story of the Wild Boy of Aveyron. NY: Kodansha America.
Authoritative account of this strange case (see Lane above for another account).

Sheehan, S. (1982). Is there no place on earth for me? NY: Vintage Books.
Pulitzer Prize winning account of “Sylvia Frumkin’s” struggle with schizophrenia which began in her late teens and continued for nearly two decades. Beautifully written.

Shekerjian, D. (1990). Uncommon genius: How great ideas are born. NY: Penguin Books.
Author describes 40 winners of the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (the so-called “genius award”). Includes comments from the recipients about how they work, how they get their creative ideas, etc.

Shepard, R. N. (1990). Mind sights: Original visual illusions, ambiguities, and other anomalies, with a commentary on the play of mind in perception and art. NY: Freeman.
The title is descriptive. Original drawings by this outstanding researcher are used to shed light on the relationship of mind (cognition), perception and art. Includes a brief autobiography that is unusually entertaining!

Siegel, B. S. (1989). Peace, love and healing. NY: Harper & Row.
Controversial, best-selling, self-help book that emphasizes the importance of self-healing as an avenue to physical health and self-fulfillment.

Simon, D., & Burns, E. (1997). The corner: A year in the life of an inner-city neighborhood. NY: Broadway Books.
A stark portrait of a neighborhood in West Baltimore. “It’s a story about people who are not highly regarded in our society and how they live when they go to The Corner. It’s about a place you can find in a lot of urban areas, but it’s also about a whole mindset that most people don’t understand.”

Simonton, D. K. (1994). Greatness: Who makes history and why. NY: Guilford Press.
An eminently readable book on the “psychology of greatness” throughout history — the personality traits, creativity, leadership, and genius that seem to account at least in part for genuine greatness.

Skinner, B. F. (1948, 1976). Walden Two. NY: Macmillan.
Classic novel of a society run on behavioral principles by one of the founders of behaviorism. The 1976 edition includes a retrospective commentary by Skinner almost three decades after the book first appeared.

Slater, L. (1998). Prozac diary. NY: Random House.
Psychotherapist and award-winning author, Slater describes her experiences with Prozac: the ups and downs, the importance of inner resources, the need to give up her “illness identity,” the unexpected adjustments required to return to “normality,” the challenge of constructing a new life.

Smith, M. J. (1975). When I say no, I feel guilty: How to cope — using the skills of systematic assertive therapy. NY: Bantam Books.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book on assertiveness, particularly how to say “No” without feeling guilty. Includes specific advice and lots of examples.

Sober, E., & Wilson, D. S. (1998). Unto others: The evolution and psychology of unselfish behavior. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
A challenging exploration of altruism by a philosopher of biology and a theoretical biologist who conclude that altruism is advantageous in evolution ? that organisms with altruistic desires are indeed among “the fittest” and thus more likely to survive. In their view, unselfish behavior is an important feature of both biological and human nature. While this may seem obvious to the layman, it flatly contradicts the widely accepted notion that where there is a conflict between individual and community, selfishness is almost always favored. Sober and Wilson, in contrast, argue that behavior that benefits the community or the species often does so at the expense of the individual. Not an easy read but well worth the effort.

Sowell, T. (1997). Late-talking children. NY: Basic Books.
What if Johnny doesn?t talk until he is three or four or five years old? Sowell not only provides insight into “apraxia” (as this disorder is called) and sound, clearheaded advice ? he also draws out the implications for our understanding of language, mind, brain, and genes.

Spanos, N. P., & Chaves, J. F. (Eds.) (1989). Hypnosis: The cognitive-behavioral perspective. Buffalo: Prometheus Books.
Challenging book of essays on all aspects of hypnosis written from a cognitive-behavioral perspective. Challenges the notion that there is a qualitatively unique hypnotic trance state.

Spock, B. (1988). Dr. Spock on parenting. NY: Pocket Books.
Good collection of articles (most published originally in Redbook magazine) on various contemporary issues that all parents must address sooner or later.

Stearns, A. (1984). Living through personal crisis. Chicago: Thomas More Press.
Highly regarded self-help book about coping with losses defined broadly (see Colgrove et al. above, Viorst below who also view losses broadly). The author describes common reactions to losses and provides specific advice about coping more effectively with losses and other personal crises. Includes numerous case studies.

Steele, D. (1998). His bright light. NY: Dell.
Best-selling author’s account of her son’s life, ended at the age of 19 after years of battling bipolar disorder, a learning disorder and drugs, and surviving more than one previous suicide attempt.

Steinberg, L. & Levine, A. (1990). You and your adolescent: A parent’s guide for ages 10-20. NY: HarperCollins.
Highly regarded self-help book on adolescence which includes specific suggestions for more effective parenting.

Sternberg, R. J. (1998). Love is a story: A new theory of relationships. NY: Oxford University Press.
An examination of love and intimate interpersonal relationships in terms of “narratives” (he describes 26 such narratives in some detail) that shape their lives and the respective roles people play relative to each other.

Szasz, T. S. (1974). The myth of mental illness: Foundations of a theory of personal conduct (2nd ed.). NY: Harper & Row.
Classic challenge to the very concept of “mental illness” as well as to who determines who is sick and who makes the diagnoses.

Szasz, T. S. (1994). Cruel compassion: Psychiatric control of society’s unwanted. NY: Wiley.
The latest in Szasz’s series of criticisms of psychiatry and what he calls the “Therapeutic State” in which people are drugged and confined because they misbehave.

Tannen, D. (1990). You just don’t understand: Women and men in conversation. NY: Ballantine.
Highly regarded, best-selling, self-help book that addresses common problems of communication between men and women. In addition to discussing the sources of these problems, the author provides specific suggestions for improving communication.

Tavris, C. (1989). Anger: The misunderstood emotion (rev. ed.). NY: Simon & Schuster.
Highly regarded, engaging, authoritative book on all aspects of anger that also includes recommendations for effective ways of dealing with anger.

Taylor, M. (1999). Imaginary companions and the children who create them. NY: Oxford University Press.
Understandably parents often experience mixed emotions when imaginary playmates first make their appearance, since the same behavior in an adult would be considered pathological. But Marjorie Taylor points out that imaginary companions are quite normal in childhood. In fact, children who have imaginary companions are less shy than children who don’t, they are not especially troubled, and they are better able to focus their attention and to see things from another person’s perspective. Taylor includes lots of helpful suggestions as well as a thorough bibliography.

Terr, L. (1994). Unchained memories: True stories of traumatic memories, lost and found. NY: Basic Books.
Gripping account by a psychiatrist of several cases in which people suddenly recalled traumatic events from their childhood (including one case in which the memories turned out to be false).

Thompson, T. (1995). The beast: A reckoning with depression. New York: Putnam.
A powerful account of chronic depression with no clear cause which began in adolescence and continued into adulthood before the author was finally able to learn to live and cope with it. The author explores the way in which society views depression and the resulting shame felt by many people suffering from this disorder who come to believe that their depressive emotions are in some way their own fault.

Tichy, N. M., & Cohen, E. D. (1997). The leadership engine: How winning companies build leaders at every level. NY: HarperCollins.
In this award-winning book, Tichy describes how winning organizations manage to develop leaders throughout the organization. He also provides a 100-page insert “Handbook for Leaders Developing Leaders” that can be used to improve leadership abilities.

Toch, H. (1992). Violent men: An inquiry into the psychology of violence (rev. ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Inquiry into the reasons some men seem to have a propensity for violence and engage in recurring violent behavior. Understanding and coping with violent people — criminals, police officers, and rioters.

Torrey, E. F. (1988). Nowhere to go: The tragic odyssey of the homeless mentally ill. NY: Harper & Row.
A “scathing indictment” of deinstitutionalization and the resulting problem of the homeless mentally ill. Describes how the problem arose and what should be done about it.

Torrey, E. F. (1995). Surviving schizophrenia: A manual for families (3rd ed.). NY: HarperCollins.
Best-selling, highly-regarded, classic reference on the nature, causes, symptoms and treatment of schizophrenia including living and coping with schizophrenia in the family.

Torrey, E. F. (1996). Out of the shadows: Confronting America?s mental illness crisis. NY: John Wiley.
More than 5 million Americans are suffering from severe mental illness, yet less than half of them are receiving treatment; many are left to roam the streets or they are jailed or imprisoned without treatment. In addition to describing the problems, Torrey offers a number of controversial solutions.

Trefil, J. S. (1997). Are we unique? A scientist explores the unparalleled intelligence of the human mind. NY: Wiley.
An interesting exploration of the nature of the human mind and how that distinguishes us from all other creatures and from computers.

Vaillant, G. E. (1977). Adaptation to life. Boston: Little, Brown.
Fascinating study of adaptation over the course of the life-span including lots of case studies of Harvard graduates who were first studied prior to the start of WWII and then followed periodically throughout the rest of their lives.

Valenstein, E. (1998). Blaming the brain: The truth about drugs and mental health. NY: Free Press.
Valenstein Challenges the notion that brain chemistry is the main cause of mental disorders. He demonstrates that the arguments and the research evidence in favor of the biochemical thesis are weak and that, moreover, drug therapies are neither as effective nor as safe as most people believe.

Viorst, J. (1986). Necessary losses: The loves, illusions, dependencies and impossible expectations that all of us have to give up in order to grow. NY: Fawcett Gold Medal.
Highly regarded, best-selling self-help book that discusses the wide variety of losses that inevitably occur in the course of life, and the potential for growth and wisdom that inheres in these losses.

Viorst, J. (1998). Imperfect control: Our lifelong struggles with power and surrender. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Life is a constant struggle for control, for a balance between a sense of competence and powerlessness, which colors not only our sense of self but also our important relationships — power struggles, making love, reactions to losses, even how hard we try.

Vitz, P. C. (1994). Psychology as religion: The cult of self-worship. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
Vitz maintains that psychology in our day has become a religion, a secular cult of self, and has become part of the problem of modern life rather than part of its resolution.

Vyse, S. A. (1997). Believing in magic. NY: Oxford University Press.
Why are superstitions so widespread? What purposes do they serve? Why are some people superstitious while others are not? And why do otherwise rational people often actually perform better when they carry out their rituals?

Walker, L. E. (1979). The battered woman. NY: Harper & Row.
Excellent self-help book for women who are experiencing emotional or physical abuse. Includes many moving case studies. Discusses myths about and characteristics of battered women, explores the vicious circle that often keeps them in abusive relationships, and finally provides useful information about how to break out of such relationships.

Wallace, M. (1986). The silent twins. NY: Ballantine Books.
Strange story of identical twins who created their own language for communicating and who remained isolated in one room for nearly 20 years.

Walsh, M. (1985). Schizophrenia: Straight talk for families and friends. NY: William Morrow.
A “survival manual” for coping with schizophrenia — what it is, what effects it can have on others, treatments and myths.

Wasow, M. (1982). Coping with schizophrenia: A survival manual for parents, relatives and friends. Palo Alto, CA: Science and Behavior Books.
Personal experience with a schizophrenic son and professional insight into coping with schizophrenia written by a clinical social worker.

Wassil-Grimm, C. (1995). Diagnosis for disaster: The devastating truth about false memory syndrome and its impact on accusers and families. Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press.
Highly critical book on “recovered memories” including interviews and a summary of relevant research. Compare Whitfield below.

Weil, M. M., & Rosen, L. D. (1997). TechnoStress: Coping with technology @WORK @HOME @PLAY. NY: Wiley.Technology, like most things, has its good points and its bad points. Among the latter is “technostress” ? negative effects of technology on attitudes, thoughts, behaviors and physiology.

Weinberg, G. (1990). The taboo scarf and other tales of therapy. NY: Ivy Books.
Fascinating accounts of nine patients and their therapist.

Weinberg, G. (1995). Invisible masters: Compulsions and the fear that drives them. NY: Plume Book.
Four case studies of obsessions and compulsions which illustrate the sources and effects of these disorders as well as their treatment.

Weisberg, R. W. (1993). Creativity: Beyond the myth of genius. NY: Freeman.
Author debunks the “myth of genius” and demonstrates that creativity is not all that different from everyday thought processes. Includes case studies of Picasso, Newton, Mozart and others.

White, B. L. (1995). The new first three years of life (4th ed.). NY: Simon & Schuster.
Highly regarded self-help book for parents with young children that provides outstanding advice in numerous areas.

White, R. W. (1975). Lives in progress (3rd ed.). NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Classic study of three lives (two male, one female) including follow-ups interspersed with lots of material for obtaining a greater understanding of those lives.

Williams, D. (1994). Somebody somewhere: Breaking free from the world of autism. NY: Times Books.
Equally fascinating sequel to the earlier book.

Wilson, F. R. (1998). The hand: How its use shapes the brain, language, and human culture. NY: Pantheon Books.
“?the hand is as much at the core of human life as the brain itself?. Where would we be without our hands? Our lives are so full of commonplace experience in which the hands are so skillfully and silently involved that we rarely consider how dependent upon them we actually are.” Language, intellect, intelligence, communication, expression, writing, painting, creating and playing music, touching, hunting and using tools ? all these human abilities and more depend on, and in some cases develop from, use of the hands.

Wilson, R. R. (1986). Don’t panic: Taking control of anxiety attacks. NY: Harper & Row.
Highly regarded self-help book on panic attacks. Includes information about panic attacks as well as recommendations for coping with them. Lots of case studies.

Winerip, M. (1994). 9 Highland Road: Sane living for the mentally ill. NY: Vintage Books.
Intriguing account of a group home for the mentally ill in Glen Cove, NY — an account of life at the home and its residents, and also the impact of the home on the surrounding neighborhood.

Winslade, W. J. (1998). Confronting traumatic brain injury: Devastation, hope, and healing. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
In addition to the physical consequences of brain injury are the more debilitating emotional and psychological consequences of brain injury: years of rehabilitation, social isolation, personality changes, re-entry into the real world, and learning to think in terms of “What I CAN do” as opposed to “What I CAN?T do.” The author provides valuable, practical advice on how to cope with brain injury as well as an impassioned plea for more research and better public policies.

Wright, J. C., & Lashnits, J. W. (1999). The dog who would be king: Tales and surprising lessons from a pet psychologist. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press.
What if your dog didn’t let you get out of bed at night? Or your dog is so worried you’ll abandon him that you have to climb out your bedroom window to leave the house each day? Or you can’t eat at home because your dog eats all the food on the table? Sound fantastic? These and other true stories of dogs controlling their owners make “The Dog Who Would Be King” a delightful read. John Wright, a professor of psychology and certified applied animal behaviorist, explains how he used basic learning principles to change each dog’s behavior.

Wright, L. (1997). Twins: And what they tell us about who we are. NY: John Wiley.
A description of startling similarities between identical twins separated at birth and reunited later in life, a brief history of the eugenics movement and behavior genetics, the importance of experiences outside the family, and the implications for the perennial debate over nature vs. nurture and public policy.

Wright, R. (1995). The moral animal: Why we are the way we are: The new science of evolutionary psychology. NY: Random House.
A readable introduction to evolutionary psychology and the light it sheds on sexual preferences and relationships, faithfulness, sibling relationships, “office politics,” trust and moral codes.

Yalom, I., & Elkin, G. (1974). Every day gets a little closer: A twice-told therapy. NY: Basic Books.
Therapy with a schizoid writer as told in parallel journals by the therapist and the patient.

Yapko, M. D. (1997). Breaking the patterns of depression. NY: Doubleday.
Self-help book based on the assumption that depression stems from distorted personal beliefs. Includes more than one hundred specific activities that are intended to increase understanding of depression and to strengthen the skills necessary to become and remain depression-free.

Zimbardo, P. G. (1977). Shyness. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Highly regarded, engaging self-help book on shyness. The author explores various aspects of shyness, drawing material from well-known people as well as other sources. Includes a self-test of shyness and lots of specific advice about ways to set about reducing shyness.

Zweig, C., & Wolf, S. (1997). Romancing the shadow: Illuminating the dark side of the soul. NY: Ballantine.
Jungian perspective on learning to live with and channel such emotions as shame, jealousy, greed, depression, lust, rage ? emotions that underlie much of the destructiveness in interpersonal relationships.